BU Research Blog

We’re continuing our look back at the ESRC Festival of Social Science, you can catch up on our coverage so far on the Research Blog.

Dr Sally Lee and Stefan Kleipoedszus led an exploration at Shelley Theatre on Tuesday, on ‘Trauma-informed health and social care’, or how social care practice can improve the wellbeing of individuals who are experiencing, or who have experienced childhood adversity or trauma. Using a World Café format and innovative creative methods for evaluation and engagement, they were able to integrate the event into their research project.

Stefan Kleipoedszus

Dr Sally Lee

In addition to valuable discussions facilitated by Sally and Stefan, the event welcomed a number of guest contributors with valuable insights for working in a supportive role. This included Professor Ann Hemingway presenting her research into The Horse Course, to understand how learning natural horsemanship skills can have a positive effect on mental health outcomes.

Prof Ann Hemingway

Dr Humaira Hussain

Dr Humaira Hussain presented her research on using ‘neonatal simulators’, high-tech dolls, to replicate the symptoms of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and provide a more interactive education for midwifery students.

One set of guests proved themselves particularly popular – Caring Canines brought a few of their trained dogs and explained how they provide support and therapy in mental health units.

On Tuesday evening, Dr Elvira Bolat and Dr Emily Arden-Close took over our regular Café Scientifique slot to discuss the ‘Hidden stories of online gamblers’, exposing how gambling companies use masses of data to engage customers, and setting out their work in how this data can be turned around to help problem gamblers.

Dr Emily Arden-Close

Dr Elvira Bolat

In concert with this event, we produced an online exhibition, featuring the stories of gamblers as expressed through art pieces commissioned from Arts University Bournemouth students.

Hidden Stories of Online Gamblers Online Exhibition